Russia has reportedly outlined a set of proposals to end its war in Ukraine, following discussions between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump at their Alaska summit. According to sources briefed on Moscow’s thinking, the proposals involve a significant land exchange, with Kyiv ceding parts of eastern Ukraine that Russia has failed to fully capture, while Russia would return smaller pockets of territory in the north, including the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The plan also reportedly includes conditions on Crimea, sanctions relief, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Alaska summit marked the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting U.S. president and the Kremlin chief since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022. Although the meeting did not immediately produce a ceasefire, Trump told Fox News that he and Putin had “largely agreed” on several points, including land transfers and security guarantees, while noting that Ukraine would ultimately have to consent to any agreement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is scheduled to travel to Washington to discuss a potential settlement following Trump’s briefing to European leaders and Kyiv.
Under the proposed deal, Russia would retain claims over Crimea and demand formal recognition of its sovereignty there, a point likely to face rejection from Kyiv and its Western allies. Ukraine would also be barred from joining NATO, although some form of security guarantees could be offered outside the alliance framework.
The proposal rules out an immediate ceasefire until a comprehensive agreement is reached. Russia would also expect the lifting of certain sanctions, though details remain unclear.
Other elements reportedly include official status for the Russian language in parts of Ukraine and freedom of operation for the Russian Orthodox Church, which Ukraine views as a Moscow-linked entity supporting Russian propaganda and espionage.
While Russia’s return of smaller northern territories could provide a limited concession, the overall proposals present significant political and strategic challenges for Ukraine, making any agreement highly complex and contingent on further negotiations.
The outline emerging from the Alaska discussions reflects both the willingness of Moscow to negotiate some territorial compromises and the difficult trade-offs that Kyiv would need to consider in any potential peace settlement.
